Xterra triathlons are more popular than ever. This year Utah hosted the Mountain Championship Xterra event in Ogden. Xterra triathlons consist of a 1500-meter swim, a 30-kilometer mountain bike leg and a 10-kilometer trail run. Often times a sport distance Xterra, 750m swim, 16k mountain bike and 5k trail run, runs in conjunction with the full distance race. You should anticipate running and riding over any terrain and through all conditions during Xterra races – nothing is unexpected. The other big difference between Xterra’s and road triathlons is that Xterra triathlons are draft legal. You can draft on the swim, bike and run. This draft-legal aspect can have significant impact on your race if your goal is to stand on the podium. Competition is tough at the top end.

TRAINING
Training specifically for Xterra is similar to Olympic distance training. Swim training is the same, run training is similar with an emphasis on bursty type power, ankle stability and hill climbing strength. The bike part however is where the huge differences lie. You have to ride a mountain bike and know how to ride it hard and fast over technical terrain. This takes some preparation.

MOUNTAIN BIKE EQUIPMENT
• A high quality mountain bike is required to survive an Xterra course.
• Front suspension is a must and rear suspension is a nice option for more technically demanding courses.
• 2.0 width knobby tires inflated to 30 psi are a good starting place for rubber selection. As your off-road skills increase you can move to narrower faster rolling tires with more pressure for speed.
• A hydration pack is a good idea as it is easier to drink from than a water bottle. This will keep you fueled and hydrated for the run. Bottles can get covered in muck – off-road and certain races route the course through a cow pasture – yum!

MOUNTAIN BIKE RACE SKILLS
• Learn how to pedal smoothly over bumpy terrain. A full suspension mountain bike helps greatly with this. In training choose a bumpy trail and ride relaxed with a high cadence.
• Teach yourself basic bike repair skills such as fixing a flat tire or broken chain. With practice both can be done in less than 5 minutes and have little impact on your race outcome.
• Jump start your bike handling skills by taking a mountain bike skills clinic. The Web site, www.betterride.com offers one of the best in the region.
• Know the course. The best thing to do is to pre-ride the course. If you do not have time to pre-ride the course, get as detailed a description of it as you can. When pre-riding a course the important things to notice are available passing areas, places where the single track starts and ends, and places that are less technical where you can eat and drink. Also, look for sections that are likely to have a headwind and make drafting an advantage. Practice riding through the technical sections to figure out the fastest line. If you are not sure how to ride a section, watch a few other riders and then copy the one who looked the smoothest. Usually the smoothest rider is the fastest.

Most of all with Xterras, mentally be ready for a little adventure, rolling along some beautiful trails and having the time of your life.

Lynda Wallenfels Lynda@lwcoaching.com is a USA Cycling Elite coach and pro mountain bike racer who specializes in coaching off-road triathletes and mountain bikers. www.LWcoaching.com.

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